RIVERSIDE: Independent bookstore stays the course

“I feel a sense of accomplishment every time someone buys a book. It's an affirmation that people are still reading,” says Gene Berkman, owner of Renaissance Book Shop, 3773 Elizabeth St. in Riverside. The 2,300-square-foot shop has 20,000 titles, a 50-50 split between new and used, plus CDs and DVDs for sale.